Can I still download Mavericks?

Well, I couldn't get the terminal method to work. (I'm probably not quite savvy enough for that method) I then made a disk with the Diskmaker X. It seemed to work great, and to be just what I needed. It doesn't work as an installation disk, though. I noticed on the Diskmaker Faq that you can't go from 10.6.8 directly to Mavericks. Not sure what to try now. It seems yucky to have to pay for Mountain Lion just to use it as a stepping stone to get Mavericks installed.

Not sure where to go from here. I do thank you for your help in creating the disk.

Well, I had a bootable disk that I had made for a Maverick OS. I used it to start the laptop that I wanted to work on. Then I erased the laptop's drive and I'm using the Diskmaker USB to install Mavericks. I don't know yet if it'll work, but it seems to be working. It just didn't want to go from the Snow Leopard to Mavericks.

Thanks everyone for your help.

The answer to me is to make a full bootable backup of the 10.6 install, then you can erase your internal disk and install 10.9.

Connect the backup during the installation (when the installer prompts about migrating data). This should allow you to copy back the user data (everything inside your home folders).

You can also copy Applications & 'other data' via Migration Assistant however I would strongly recommend you avoid doing that.

Many older Macs have software installed that is incompatible with 10.9. If you migrate it onto 10.9 you simply risk giving yourself a lot of clean up work to get the Mac running smoothly. Look at an EtreCheck report to see what is installed (http://etresoft.com/etrecheck)

If you can, take the time to reinstall all your desired applications into 10.9. It will put the Mac in a state where the Apps are current (assuming you install the latest versions). Roaringapps.com will indicate what versions of software generally work on 10.9.

Obviously you should look at what you run in 10.6 & ensure you have the serial/ licence numbers for those apps. Also make sure the 10.6 backup boots before you begin.

Thanks Drew. Your help has been fantastic. I did make a full bootable of the 10.6.8 as I'm not really sure if the Mavericks will run well on this laptop, so I wanted to keep my options open to going back, if necessary.

Thanks again.

Unfortunately not. Family Sharing does not include OS purchases (free or not)

From the page I linked to at Family Sharing

Once you’ve set up Family Sharing, all the songs, albums, movies, TV shows, books and apps ever purchased by family members are immediately available to everyone else in the group. And, of course, so are new purchases. The content appears automatically in the Purchased tab in iTunes, iBooks or the App Store for each family member. Just select the family member whose collection you’d like to browse, then download or play the content you choose. Other family members can access your collection in the same way. If you want to keep some purchases private, you can choose to hide individual items.

Not sure I understand the point you're trying to make...... you suggested that someone use someone else's Mavericks which would be in direct violation of the licensing agreement. And, Family Sharing applies to (per your quote):

songs, albums, movies, TV shows, books and apps

None of those are the OS. So, the OS does not appear to be available for Family Sharing (also read the SLA which explains that any OS license obtained at the app store is not transferable):

http://www.apple.com/legal/sla/

Since both Mavericks and Yosemite were/are free downloads is this really an issue that Apple would have a problem with? Assuming that you are downloading onto a real Apple computer anyway, not an Intel clone machine that someone is trying to do some sort of Hackintosh type install.

Yes it is; it is irrelevant that they are/were free - the SLA still states that it is not transferable. And, if I download it using my Apple ID and password, it is then tied to my Apple ID forever - if I (violate the SLA and) give it to you, I would also need to give you my Apple ID/password so you could update apps and/or reinstall the OS - you will need that info for those. Obviously, I would never share that with you, so you'll be facing a problem since you will be, at that point, technically running a pirated copy of the OS.

Are you sure about that - the license agreement is invoked when you install the Yosemite OS - not when you download it. So anyone who installs it is bound by the license agreement when they install it. Otherwise people who have a ton of macs to install Yosemite on would have to manually download it on each and every one of those macs which in the case of the site with thousands of macs to upgrade, would be a nightmare.

So I am sure that large Mac sites, download Yosemite once and then use it to do the install on all their machines (or certainly a small number of Yosemite downloads) - otherwise downloading 5GB for a few thousand machines might saturate the entire Internet with just downloading Yosemite, and I'm sure that Apple is very happy for them to only download 1 copy of Yosemite and so that the Apple servers can be busy downloading Yosemite to thousands of other Apple customers instead of thousands of times to one customer.

Have to disagree with you...

You're free to disagree with me - the terms of the SLA are what matter; you can download/install the OS on any Mac running certain OS versions you own and control; installing it on someone else's is violating the SLA. And, you are trying to argue semantics re. the SLA is invoked when you install it - that is incorrect as well (see below: the license allows you to download, install, etc, etc), especially since the same terms apply to Lion, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks (which you have installed already).

Have you read the SLA? Here is an excerpt from the Yosemite SLA:

"Permitted License Uses and Restrictions.

A. Preinstalled and Single-Copy Apple Software License

Subject to the terms and conditions of this License, unless you obtained the Apple Software from the Mac App Store or under a volume license, maintenance or other written agreement from Apple, you are granted a limited, non-exclusive license to

install, use and run one (1) copy of the Apple Software on a single Apple-branded computer at any one time. For example, these single-copy license terms apply to you if you obtained the Apple Software reinstalled on Apple-branded hardware.

B. Mac App Store License

If you obtained a license for the Apple Software from the Mac App Store, then subject to the terms and conditions of this License and as permitted by the Mac App Store Usage Rules set forth in the App Store Terms and Conditions (http://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/ww/) (“Usage Rules”), you are granted a limited, non-transferable, non-exclusive license:

ℹ to download, install, use and run for personal, non-commercial use, one (1) copy of the Apple Software directly on each Apple-branded computer running OS X Mavericks, OS X Mountain Lion, OS X Lion or OS X Snow Leopard (“Mac Computer”) that you own or control;"

and:

H. Other Use Restrictions

The grants set forth in this License do not permit you to, and you agree not to, install, use or run the Apple Software on any non-Apple-branded computer, or to enable others to do so. Except as otherwise permitted by the terms of this License or otherwise licensed by Apple: ℹ only one user may use the Apple Software at a time, and (ii) you may not make the Apple Software available over a network where it could be run or used by multiple computers at the same time. You may not rent, lease, lend, sell, redistribute or sublicense the Apple Software.

The above is in addition to the paragraphs I posted previously (regarding the fact that it is not transferable).

As I said, you can disagree with me, but you really cannot with the legal terms. And, there are terms for commercial settings; however, I do not know what they are as they are not available for viewing on the consumer site.

Well, I admit, I haven't actually tried accessing a different version of OS X through Family Sharing.

Just thought I'd suggest it for a previous poster (whom you responded to) Re: Can I still download Mavericks? Who said they would need to access the OS X installer from his daughter's account without giving her his password. Family sharing seemed like a natural suggestion.

The itunes license at https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/au/terms.html says for Family Sharing that it applies to eligible iTunes, App Store, Mac App Store, and iBooks Store products

I don't know if OS X is "eligible", but when I get around to it, I may try it.

I think if it is eligible for Family Sharing then the non-transferable clause you've mentioned a number of times, doesn't matter because the iTunes license overrides it.

Actually, if you'll read the iTunes terms all the way to the end, you will note that it states that individual software license agreements will apply.

I am not about to keep arguing legal terms (and I have read them all); if you wish to disagree - go ahead with whatever you want to do. These forums are for technical questions and answers, so I am done with this thread.

I'll have my lawyer call your lawyer and maybe they can solve this ;-)

Don't be such a stick in the mud - go take a chill pill and count to ten.

This is not the supreme court - just common sense when you REALLY READ THE terms you post. It appears you have not either really read it or comprehend what they say. When I read it says I cannot install the software on non-apple hardware -- that is not the case here. And it says that "except as otherwise permitted" - and I will bet money that one of the otherwise permitted cases is where sites have dozens, or hundreds, or thousands of macs they want to upgrade to Yosemite. Downloading the same software thousands of times makes no sense in any way shape or form and am absolutely certain Apple would have put something about this in the agreement so that these types of situations would be legal copies of OS X.

I'm sure that was the problem I had with the file. I assumed it would be reformated when it was being written and didn't erase/format before. I did get around the issue by using DiskMakerX, though.